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Before the season started, the writing was on the wall that the Pittsburgh Steelers may not retain veteran guard James Daniels, who is in the final year of his contract, after the 2024 campaign.

Daniels inked a three-year, $26 million deal with the Steelers in 2022 and has been a solid starter for the team in that span. However, that wasnt enough for Pittsburgh to extend him during the offseason, which is particularly brutal for Daniels after he suffered a season-ending torn Achilles injury in Week 4.

Making it more likely Daniels is gone next year is the fact that the Steelers have seen rookie guard Mason McCormick step up big time in his absence. The 2024 fourth-round pick has been particularly good in pass protection, where he hasnt given up any sacks this season in 307 pass-block snaps.

With things trending in the direction of Daniels not being in Pittsburgh next year, Bleacher Reports Alex Ballentine believes the 27-year-old could end up with the Houston Texans in 2025.

The Texans could opt to use the draft to improve their offensive line. However, missing on a few picks is how the Texans got to this point. Kenyon Green has been a liability, and Jarrett Patterson wasnt necessarily ready to take on the role hes played.

The Texans should be in the market for an experienced guard who could round out their offensive line. Daniels will be coming off a torn Achilles that ended his season back in September, but that could simply mean hes available at a bargain price.

The Texans offensive line has been a complete disaster this year, with the unit giving up a whopping 40 sacks in 12 games, the fourth-most in the NFL. If Houston wants C.J. Stroud to succeed, that must change.

Assuming he can fully recover from his injury, Daniels would be a big upgrade for the Texans on the inside, and he isnt likely to cost a ton, seeing as how hes coming off a major injury.

Thats great news for a Texans team that wont have a lot to work with in 2025. Per Over the Cap, the Texans are projected to have $15.7 million in cap space next offseason.